Moving to The Netherlands

Immigration

Register with the GBA (gemeentelijke basisadministratie persoonsgegevens) at your local town hall within five days of arrival, and make an appointment with the IND for a residence permit, if you need one. Make sure your documents have all the right stamps. Read more in our Immigration section.

Housing

Finding a home, renting or buying? In our Housing section we explore tax benefits due to savings and tax regulations in the Netherlands when buying a home. For assignments of less than three years, in the current market, it is usually better to rent.

Dutch bank account

There are several global banks in The Netherlands (ING/ABN AMRO/RABOBANK). After choosing a bank in the Netherlands you'll need to go along with your passport and/or residence permit and BSN (Burgerservicenummer), proof of address (for instance bevolkingsregister extract, utility bill, rental contract). Read more in our Banking section.

Health Insurance

A basic health insurance policy is compulsory in the Netherlands, and if you own a car, you must have liability insurance for it. In the Netherlands, insurances can be obtained at your bank, as well as other companies and organizations. Please consider beforehand which voluntary insurances are necessary in your particular situation. Read more in our Insurance section.

Taxation

The Dutch government aims to create an attractive environment and welcomes knowledge workers and talent from abroad. The Netherlands is on the international list of most attractive countries to do business with. However, administrative hurdles and bureaucracy need to be targeted to make access to our country a reality. In our Taxation section we explore more.

Taxation in The Netherlands under the 30% tax rule

Foreign employees hired by a Dutch employer can be entitled to the so called 30% tax ruling. This means that 30% of the gross income is being paid without any taxes withheld on that part. This is results in a much higher nett spendable income. In our 30 Procent Tax section we explore more.

Schools

Schools in the Netherlands offer high-quality education. The philosophy behind Dutch education reflects Dutch society and aims to encourage students to be open-minded, and able to think and learn in a creative manner. Children have to go to school from age 5 to age 16. Learn more in our Education section.

Learning Dutch

Is speaking Dutch a necessity in The Netherlands? In the larger cities the Dutch speak very good English and you will get by without a problem. Doing your shopping without knowing the basics of talking Dutch isn't going to be a problem. But if you are staying for a longer period you do not have to feel excluded or disrespectful and have more choice for jobs, education, entertainment, friends, or business opportunities. There are several good dutch language schools in your area to learn Dutch. We have selected the top ones in our Dutch language courses section.